The Runaway
by br0flove
Summary: Caroline's about to make the biggest decision of her life - marrying her childhood sweetheart - but when she runs out on the wedding without a reason is there anyone who can make her see who she was before? Her best friend Niklaus has been there since the beginning, and having always harbored feelings for her can he be the one to pick her back up? Klaroline. AU/AH
1. The Wedding

_I DO NOT OWN THE VAMPIRE DIARIES._

* * *

On the early afternoon of October 3rd the weather was warm with a cool breeze, geese were flying in the sky of Mystic Falls, Virginia (to some, a sign of luck), and in the one of very few hotels around town, Caroline Forbes was breathing hysterically into a brown paper bag as her two best friend's fanned her face with wrinkled up wedding invitations.

"Rub your ears!" Elena exclaimed, tossing her bouquet of flowers onto the bed beside her. Bonnie looked at the brunette with confusion before she turned back to the hysterical bride and nodded.

"Rub your ears," she repeated. "I do it to my dog."

Caroline stopped for a moment before she raised pale fingers to the lobes of her ears. Elena moved the bride's veil and helped rub her lobes. "That's it," she encouraged with a beam of white teeth. "Feel better?"

Caroline nodded slowly.

"It's helpful," she admitted with an awkward laugh. "It feels nice."

Elena laughed and replaced Caroline's hands with her own whilst Bonnie watched out the hotel window toward the church opposite. She squealed as she saw a black limo pull up to the church and a man in a black tux step out.

"He's here!" She yelled, turning to see Elena dragging Caroline to the window by her ear.

"My ear, Elena!" The bride groaned.

Elena let go of Caroline and pushed aside the netting, squinting her eyes as she watched Tyler and Stefan step outside the church, Tyler lighting a cigarette between his lips as he paced warily outside the large doors.

People gathered around the groom-to-be, offering him their support with a smile before entering the church to await the much anticipated ceremony of Forbes and Lockwood.

The wedding had been under construction and planning for over two months. Tyler had proposed to Caroline in the woods during a late picnic, a spontaneous decision on his part. Tyler was a coach for the local football team at the high school, and Caroline was the events organizer around town, helping organize balls and Council parties, celebrations and holidays. They met in high school and were the typical high school couple, head cheerleader and captain of the football team.

Caroline's ring was almost offensive considering it's retail price. At £26,050, the 18k white gold Chanel ring was an outline of a rose (due to Tyler's love of the outdoors and forever referring to Caroline as his rose) studded with beautiful diamonds and decorated to catch the eye of any passer-by. It was a ring purchased whilst Tyler was away in London with Caroline to celebrate one of their anniversaries.

Caroline pulled away from the window and watched as her bridesmaid and maid of honour watched the groom and picked up her brown bag, breathing heavily into it. Elena turned to her friend and ran over, pulling the bag away and grabbing Caroline's bare shoulders.

"No bag," she repeated softly, smiling into worried blue eyes. "You'll be fine."

Caroline nodded quietly, reaching up to clutch her best friend's hands.

"I'm fine."

Elena nodded and kissed Caroline's forehead. "You're fine."

"Guys, it's almost time, Caroline we need to get your dress straightened out before we step outside."

Caroline nodded with hesitation and reached over to the vanity desk to pick up her bouquet.

After a short minute of flapping about and straightening out any loose strands of hair, Bonnie dropped the veil over Caroline's face and beamed through it. "You're ready to get married."

**xx xx xx**

Niklaus Mikaelson was shifting uncomfortably on the wooden seat inside the church of Mystic Falls. He looked around the church and noticed the groom shifting almost the same as he was, with worry etched on his face. Klaus couldn't help but let a small smirk grace his lips.

"What are you grinning at?"

Klaus turned toward his sister, smirk growing. "Oh, nothing, 'Bekah. Just watching the floor fade."

Rebekah snorted an unladylike snort and followed her brother's eyes.

"He's got every right to be nervous," she stated, watching the groom. "Caroline's not exactly the most trustworthy of women when it comes to responsibility. She can barely hold together a plant, let alone a marriage."

"Come now, Rebekah. That's not nice."

"Are you defending her, Nik?"

Klaus smiled. "No, Rebekah, but her taking care of a plant can hardly be compared to the biggest decision of her life."

Another snort fell from the blonde.

"They've been on and off since high school, Nik, they're barely the sturdiest couple in Mystic Falls. I think Elena and Damon have more hopes in a healthy married life than they do."

"So why are you here, sister?"

"I have a bet with Kol to see if Caroline even shows."

Klaus chuckled softly and placed an arm behind his sister. "She deserves someone better."

"Oh?" Rebekah smiled, turning to her older brother, resting her head on his forearm. "Would that be your, dear brother? You realise your infatuation with the girl hasn't gone unnoticed? Especially not by Tyler. You really should try to hide your feelings better."

"What makes you think I'm trying to hide them?" Klaus mumbled, no ounce of denial in his words.

Rebekah pulled her head off of her brother and listened to the gentle sounds of a violin echoing the church. Her smile fell to concern as she faced Klaus. "She deserves better, but so do you. She's been your friend for years, she's not as dense as she seems - she has to suspect something, and she's obviously ignored it, for her own selfish reasons, Nik. You deserve better."

Klaus shrugged and focused on the groom again.

"There is no such thing. A simple light can be no brighter than the brightest star."

**xx xx xx**

"Ladies and gentlemen, if you'd please rise."

Caroline Forbes took a shaky breath as she clutched her step-father's arm. Stephen squeezed her free hand gently and pressed a kissed to her covered temple. "This is it, sweetie. Your dad would be so proud," he whispered, giving her gloved hand another squeeze.

Caroline blinked back tears as she met Stephen's eyes and forced a large smile.

"Let's go," she whispered, swallowing the lump forming in her throat. Stephen watched her eyes for a few seconds and turned back to the aisle, slowly following Bonnie's lead as she took slow steps toward the altar.

Tyler's face slowly came into view, his mouth was up with a smile, and his eyes gleaming, but Caroline ignored his face and stared straight at Stefan. He was smiling with encouragement, and sent a wink her way. She smiled hesitantly back and looked around the seats, greeting people with a soft smile, and nodding at their compliments.

She stopped a few aisles down and watched as her best friend smiled back at her. She reached out for his hand, pushing his sister's body back as she grasped it. "Thank you for coming," she mimed. Klaus smiled and nodded, removing his hand from hers and stepping back beside his sister.

Stephen continued their walk, another few aisles up and she finally concentrated on the face of her fiancé. Tyler was slowly stepping toward her, her heart thumped in her chest and she stopped, holding her hand up to Stephen.

"I can't," she whispered with a shaky voice, her head lowering.

Stephen froze beside her. "What's wrong, Caroline?" he whispered, bending to whisper in her ear, ignoring the mumbling of the guests. "Are you okay?"

"I can't do it," she repeated, letting her arm slip through his, dropping her bouquet.

The bride stepped back, away from Stephen, she caught a glimpse of Stefan stepping forward before she turned and bolted out of the open doors. Stephen turned sharply and Elena ran down the aisle after her, holding her dress up to her knees.

"Caroline!" she called.

Caroline ignored Elena and pushed toward the limo, she jumped in, pushing past the driver as he opened the door. Sinking into the seat at the back, Caroline hid her face with gloved hands and ignored the gentle music and smell of open champagne bottles.

She heard the ruffle of leather seats as someone sat beside her, and a warm hand took her gloved one.

"Caroline," Elena whispered. "What's going on?"

Caroline turned toward the open window and back to the driver, tears in her eyes.

"Drive," she ordered.

**xx xx xx**

Klaus winced as he turned toward the open doors and heard the screech of tires. His sister was in shock beside him, her hand raised to her mouth as she clutched her purse beneath her arm. He let a hand fall on her shoulder as he turned back to the altar and saw Tyler sat on the step, head in his hands, Matt consoling him.

Elizabeth Forbes was sat at the front of the church, her eyes wide in horror as Stefan knelt in front of her, hands holding her gloved ones. Liz finally removed her hat and placed it beside her, raising her hand away from Stefan's to wipe damp cheeks.

Klaus saw her mouth move, but strained to hear the words.

Rebekah turned to him, interrupting his observation. "Well," she started, clearing her throat with an awkward smile. "As much as it was expected, I didn't realize it would be that dramatic."

Klaus frowned at his sister's attitude and stepped past her, excusing himself as he moved through the hustle of leaving guests and toward the bride's mother. "Liz," he mumbled, sitting beside her as Stefan seemed to comfort her.

Liz turned towards Klaus and blinked at him before scooting over and making room for the Brit.

"Did that really happen?" She muttered, her voice dry.

Klaus handed the woman a tissue and turned toward Stefan, watching the best man's eyes furrow in confusion and irritation. Klaus loosened his tie and shuffled in his seat.

"I'm afraid so," he sighed.

Liz shrugged her shoulder's and turned her gaze towards Tyler, who was standing up and coming towards her. She pushed herself to sit upright, and held a hand out for the distraught man.

"I don't know what came over her," he laughed uncomfortably. "Wedding jitters, you know? M-Maybe she'll come back. We spent so long planning this - she was so excited last night, I -"

Liz held up her free hand to stop the man.

"I don't think she's coming back."

Tyler frowned.

"I think that's it, Tyler. I can't explain why my daughter did what she did, but she did."

Tyler scoffed and stood upright, pulling his arm from the woman. "She'll come back," he repeated, nodding. "She's just got wedding jitters." His dark eyes met those of Klaus' and narrowed. "You need to get her back."

Klaus stared back at the groom and shook his head. "Afraid that's not my job, mate."

"What do you mean, that's not your job?! This is probably all your fault!"

Klaus stood, walking toward the man.

"I don't think you know what you're insinuating, Tyler. Whatever it is, I suggest you stop."

Tyler snorted and pushed forward, ignoring Stefan holding his arm to tug him back.

"I know you wanted her - couldn't stand to see me have her. She was going to be mine and you couldn't handle that could you, _mate_? I bet you spent the night trying to talk her out of it. I saw her come in here and come toward you, what did you say to her? Tell her to back out? Tell her to run? We all know she listens to you!"

Klaus growled and stepped forward again, pausing when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned back to see his sister's eyes glaring back at him.

"Not here, Nik. If you want to start a fight I suggest you take it elsewhere." Her chin jerked toward Caroline's mother.

Klaus growled once more and turned toward Tyler.

"I said nothing to her, what she did was her own choice - a totally understandable one. I suppose it didn't take long for her to realise that you were just a head full of hot air."

Tyler growled and pounced forward, Klaus dodged his attack by stepping back and taking hold of his sister's arm. He nodded toward Liz and Stefan and took off out of the church, pulling out his phone from inside his jacket pocket he made a call to Caroline as his face hit the fresh air of Mystic Falls.

**xx xx xx**

"I don't know what happened," Caroline cried as she struggled to take her dress off. Jittery hands fought against the ties at the back and she silently screamed in frustration as her fingers missed the lace. She turned to her friend, desperation written on her face; screaming for help.

Elena stepped forward off of her friend's bed and reached toward the lace of her corset.

"It just didn't seem _right_. It was like as soon as I took my eyes off everyone else and looked at him - it just wasn't right." Caroline heaved a sigh as her corset loosened around her chest, she held a hand up to the fabric to cover her breasts. "I mean, as I looked around it was all Tyler, you know? There was no part of me in there - and I'm the event planner. The planner who didn't even plan her own wedding! And you know what else, Elena?"

Elena hummed in response as she tackled the lace.

"I don't even know what I like anymore, it's so easy to plan other people's weddings because I can go on the idea of what _they_ like, but what about me?" the blonde admitted, kicking her heels off of her feet. "Tyler loves football and the outdoors and studying all these types of tackles and attacks for his team. He used to take me along to their try outs and they'd push me on their little tackle bag things and it'd be my chariot - that's what he called it - my chariot. And this _ring_." Caroline paused and held her left hand up to her face, glaring at the rose ring. "It was so expensive but it's not what _I_ like."

"Isn't it Chanel?" Elena mumbled.

"Well, yeah, but I just wanted simple. God, I sound so selfish."

Elena released the last tie and pushed the corset off of her friend.

"That's all I ever wanted. A marriage that was simple, it'd be words and love and there'd be a simple ring and a simple dress. You know? I got all that extravagance out when I was younger. I've planned weddings and they're not fun if they're big, and I know it's shocking for me to say, of all people. It's just being watched - it's pressure. Where's the fun? Aren't you supposed to go in, just you, your husband, the pastor, and a witness or two and get married and love each other? Why does everyone have to watch you and judge you? Where's the love?"

Elena stepped back as Caroline stepped out of her dress, pulling on a bra and a vest top. She watched the blonde remove her earrings and pull on a pair of loose shorts before falling onto the stool by her vanity desk.

"When I helped Tyler plan all this, I didn't stop to tell him I'd prefer daisies instead of roses. I didn't tell him that I liked that pastel pink, not the dark one - but you do look beautiful," she paused to smile at her friend's maid of honour dress. "I've spent all of my relationship being what Tyler wanted, that I can't even remember what it feels like to be me. I don't have the voice to speak up anymore."

Elena sat back on Caroline's bed and opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off by the sound of Caroline's cell phone going off on the table. She reached toward it and held it up for Caroline to see.

'Nik'.

Caroline shook her head and turned back to the mirror, pulling bobby pins out of her hair, letting loose curls fall down her face. Elena watched her friend for a moment before she slid her finger across the screen and put the phone to her ear.

"Caroline Forbes' phone, Elena speaking."

"Elena, where's Caroline?"

"She's not in the mood to talk, Klaus."

"Elena," Klaus growled, the sound of wind breaking up his anger. "Put her on the phone."

"One moment, please." Elena pulled the phone to her chest and watched her friend through the reflection in the mirror. "Care, he's adamant to talk to you."

Caroline sighed and held her hand out as the other played with the pins placed in her hair. Elena stood and handed her the phone, taking over in freeing Caroline's hair.

"What's up?" Caroline beamed with fake enthusiasm.

"Caroline," Klaus sighed. "What happened?"

The blonde stared at herself in the mirror and blinked glittery silver eye shadow. She stared at the colour of her dark pink nails and finally let the tears take over. "I couldn't do it," she sobbed quietly. "I couldn't do it."

"Sweetheart," Klaus muttered into her ear. "Where are you?"

"I'm at my house."

Klaus shuffled on the other end of the phone and grunted. "I'll be there in ten minutes, Rebekah will come pick up Elena if she wishes to go and change at her own house. I'll pick up some things from the shop, what would you like, love?"

"Wine," Caroline sobbed. "Lots of wine."

"Wine," Klaus confirmed. "I'll be ten minutes, Caroline."

She nodded, knowing Klaus couldn't see her. She hung up the phone and dropped her head into her folded arms on her desk. "Oh God," she cried. "I'm the worst person ever."

Elena rubbed her friend's back, having heard the conversation. "Caroline, you're not a bad person," she said softly, scooting onto her knees on the floor. "You're one of the best people I know."

"Oh, yeah? So why did I just run out of my own wedding without even an apology to Tyler? Why did I just leave him standing there?"

Elena rested her head against her friend's thigh, shifting uncomfortable in her dress. "Because it wasn't you."

Caroline's throat hitched with a hiccupped sob. "No," she agreed.

"You need someone who you can be you around. Maybe you did love him, but he wasn't the one for you. You know? He was comfortable. Like a really nice dress that you don't ever want to get rid of because you've had it for so long, but it just doesn't fit anymore? You know?"

Caroline laughed softly, the sound muffled by her arms.

"Tyler's that dress, but you need to get over that dress and get a new style, it's been years and you've stuck with that dress and you've never experimented with anything else. There's so much more out there! Louis Vuitton, Kardashians. Jesus, Caroline, there's Jimmy Choo!"

Caroline raised her head, laughing as she watched mascara fall down her face. She turned to look at Elena as her friend sat up. She took her friend's hand and rested her head on Elena's. "Jimmy Choo is nice," she said softly.

Elena grinned. "Of course it is. It's going to suck getting rid of your favourite dress, but you'll get over it and so will everyone else. It just wasn't meant to be. It was once, but if you lose yourself in that time, then there's something wrong."

"I love you," Caroline admitted with a soft sigh. "You're my best friend, even if you just compared my failing relationship to an old dress and designer brands."

Elena laughed. "I love you, Care, that's how I do."

The front door of Caroline's house opened and the two perked up at the sound, Caroline turned to the mirror and wiped the drying mascara from her cheeks with the back of her hand, smudging it across her nose. She cleared her face in time to see the bedroom door open and Klaus and Rebekah walk in.

"Well, well if it isn't the blushing bride to - oh.." Rebekah stopped with a sly grin.

Caroline narrowed her eyes at the blonde, Elena standing up. "Not now, Rebekah. Grow some respect would you?"

Rebekah snorted and turned her face to her brother, folding her arms.

Klaus looked toward Caroline, placing a bag down on her bed as he went over to her. "Hey," he muttered, pushing a stray curl behind her ear with a small smile. Caroline smiled back at her friend and placed a hand over his on her cheek.

"Oh, please, it's been less than five minutes and you're already making a move? And _I_ need to get some respect?"

Klaus turned to glare at his sister. "Rebekah," he hissed.

Rebekah raised her hands and turned to Elena as she dropped them. "Come on," she sighed, jerking her chin to the door. "I don't want to be in this depression more than I have to. Get your things, lets go."

Elena turned to Caroline and smiled comfortingly. "Remember what I said," she reminded the blonde with a wink. "There's always Jimmy Choo."

Caroline smiled as her friend picked up her bag and made her way to the bedroom door. She took one final look at Caroline and sent her another wink, blowing a kiss to her friend. Caroline smiled and took her hand away from Klaus' letting them both drop.

"Thanks, Elena."

* * *

**Hello there welcome to another multi-chapter fic (I'M ON A ROLL WITH THIS!), I recently watched 'The Runaway Bride', Julia Roberts and Richard Gere are just becoming a major inspiration to me so far, and this fic is slightly based on that film, but obviously not so much.**

**As for this chapter, I hope you enjoyed, and I hope I didn't rush into it. I plan to let their relationship grow a little more, but you got an insight into Klaus' feelings and Caroline's wedding jitters and ... not so much her wedding. You got a look into Tyler's feelings for Caroline and his feelings towards Klaus.**

**Hopefully you all enjoyed and I hope you stick around for the next chapter.**

**Let me know what you thought, leave your thoughts in that pretty review box below, don't forget to favourite and follow the story!**

**Love you all!**

**ps: IT'S MY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW! WOO WOO (6th January ;))**


	2. Plato's Symposium

"_Five, six, se-"_

_"I'm sorry to interrupt, love, I'm looking for Rebekah?"_

_Caroline turned to the strange accent and blinked in surprise at the blonde man standing behind her, hands behind his back and a smile graced with dimples. "Mikaelson?" She squeaked._

_The Englishman nodded with a chuckle._

_"The accent gives it away, doesn't it?"_

_She nodded with a flush of her cheeks. "A little,"_

_"Hey, Care!"_

_Caroline raised on her tiptoes to see her boyfriend running over, she grinned wide and dodged Rebekah's brother, straight toward Tyler._

_"Did you see? I scored!"_

_Caroline beamed for her boyfriend. "Great job!"_

_Tyler smirked and turned to the blonde stranger standing by her girlfriend and her squad. "Hey, Tyler Lockwood," he greeted, holding a hand out._

_The man took his hand and nodded back. "Klaus. Rebekah's brother."_

_"Oh, the new chick?"_

_Klaus' eyes narrowed. "I suppose, yes."_

_Tyler nodded and smiled, a bright smile, but somewhat possessive as he placed an arm around Caroline's shoulder. "Yeah, she's pretty cool."_

_"I like to think so," Klaus responded with a hesitant smile._

_Caroline turned and observed the field._

_"Rebekah should be here soon, she was coming to cheer practice, but she said she'd be a bit late, you're welcome to wait on the bleachers if you want. Until she gets here?"_

_Klaus nodded and smiled at the bright cheerleader. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name?"_

_"Caroline," she said softly, holding a hand out for him to shake._

_Klaus took her hand and kissed her knuckles softly._

_"A pleasure, Caroline."_

**xx xx xx**

"Do you remember when we first met?" Caroline muttered, holding her head in her hand, her elbow perched on her vanity desk.

Klaus sat on her bed, opening the bottle of wine, two wine glasses sat between his knees. He looked up at Caroline for a moment with a slight smirk on his face. "How could I forget?" he mumbled softly, concentrating on the bottle and letting it open with a soft pop. "You were in the middle of practice."

"And you bounded right over and interrupted."  
Klaus laughed, a genuine laugh. "I do not _bound_, sweetheart, and I did apologize," he pointed out.

"Yeah, well."

Klaus smirked and poured some of the wine into the glasses, handing one over to a sullen Caroline. "Cheers."

Caroline pushed herself off of the desk and took the glass, clinking it gently against Klaus'. "To what?" she sighed.

"To life, whatever the complications."

"To complications," she said, forcing a tight smile.

Klaus frowned, taking a sip of the sweet German wine. "Sweetheart," he sighed softly. "It is a rare moment when I show even a slight sign of sympathy, bathe in it before I go back to the miserable man I am."

Caroline's smile grew genuine. "Miserable," she giggled. "I think we've swapped rolls."

"Impossible," he responded quietly. "Your light can never be dimmed, even in the darkest of moments."

"I don't think I'm full of light anymore," she laughed, a sarcastic laugh. "Full of shit, is more like it. I just left my fiancé at the altar, with an expensive ring on my finger and not even an explanation why. Who does that if they're so 'full of light', as you put it?"

Klaus smirked, taking another sip of his wine, choosing to ignore the question.

Caroline let out a soft sigh and placed her wine glass down on her desk. She turned toward the mirror and ran her hands through her curls, fingers sticking to the hairspray. "Exactly. No one."

"Quite a few women leave their man at the altar, it's become a common occurrence in everyday life, I'm sure dozens of others were doing it just as you were."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

"Worth a shot."

Caroline smiled slightly, tears welling in her eyes. "What's your favourite type of egg, Nik?"

Klaus frowned in confusion, staring at the blonde as she wiped a finger under her eyes, hesitant to ruin anymore make-up than she already had that afternoon.

"I'm sorry?"

"The entire time I've been with Tyler I just told him that I liked scrambled, you know why?"

Klaus shook his head.

"Because he liked it."

"I'm not following."

"My entire relationship with Tyler has been me pretending to be what he wanted. I wore the clothes he bought me because I didn't want his family to think I was just some common little girl that slept with everything. I went to all these parties with him because it made _him_ happy. I took trips to the Alps and to France and to England, but I never asked him to come with me to Paris or Rome." Caroline took a deep breath. "I don't even know what type of egg I like anymore."

"So why did you stay?"

"Because I was scared," she replied quietly, looking over at her friend. Klaus shuffled on the bed, eyeing the blonde, concern touching his eyes; lips frowning. "Tyler's my high school sweetheart. We've been together since we were fifteen. I'm now twenty-two. Who's going to want a twenty-two year old runaway bride, who can't even decide what type of egg she likes because she's too scared she's going to turn out to be something that they don't like? I pretend to be this person that they want. I'm the perfect girlfriend because I listen to _their_ needs, and not my own. In the space of the entire time I've been with Tyler, I've forgotten who I am - who I was. Klaus," she blinked her eyes and welcomed the tears. "Who am I?"

Klaus crouched off of the bed and onto his knees before Caroline, he placed his wine glass on the floor beside him and grabbed her hands, pulling them towards his chest. "Caroline," he whispered. "You are beautiful. Strong. Full of light."

She closed her eyes and hiccupped a sob.

"You are brave and wild, you are the most organized person I've ever met and quite frankly - the most frustrating. You are loving and caring and you couldn't hurt a fly, even if it stole your most favourite thing in the world. You are Caroline Forbes, and no one in the world could possibly change that. If you've lost yourself in Tyler, then take your time and _find yourself_. Why do you want to rush into being what everyone else wants? You are perfect as you are, sweetheart. Remember that."

Caroline let a small smile grace her lips.

"Klaus?" she mumbled quietly, eyeing Klaus seriously.

The blonde man smiled back at her. "Yes, love?"

"Can we make some eggs?"

**xx xx xx**

_"Nik?"_

_Klaus turned to his sister, closing his laptop. "Yes, Rebekah?" he mumbled, trying to keep the irritation out of his voice - hours upon hours sat at his desk and he still couldn't put his thoughts on paper, no amount of writing could do what he was feeling (or thinking) any justice. How did you explain such beauty without the right words? Beauty didn't even touch it._

_"You've been in here all afternoon, aren't you coming tonight?"_

_Klaus frowned. "Coming where?"_

_"To the game. It's my first game cheering, a little support would be nice, considering Elijah is off somewhere with Katarina and Kol is gallivanting with the likes of silly high-school_

_whores."_

_"Oh, right," Klaus turned back to his laptop, biting his bottom lip cautiously. Perhaps the game could inspire him to find the right words? "What time is it?"_

_"Now?"_

_Klaus nodded, stepping away from his desk and toward his alcohol stash in the corner of his office, hidden behind easels and pastels._

_"It's gone three."_

_"And the game starts when?"_

_"At five."_

_Klaus nodded. "I have a while then."_

_"I have to leave at four to meet Caroline and the rest of the squad. You're my ride."_

_Klaus frowned at her use of American lingo, he was no one's 'ride', but if it meant admiring beauty for a little while longer than necessary, he was sure he wouldn't mind so much - it was crucial to his current writers block._

_"Go get ready then, Rebekah. I'll meet you downstairs in twenty minutes."_

_"Thanks, Nik."_

_Rebekah turned to walk out of the room and froze, her hand touching the door handle. "Oh, and Nik?"_

_"What is it, Rebekah?"_

_"I know what you're doing."_

_The blonde man froze and lowered his tumbler. "I seem to be enjoying some bourbon, Rebekah, but thank you for your observation, now if you would-"_

_"I meant with Caroline. Don't be sarcastic, Nik, it's not fitting."_

_"Nor is threatening your older brother."_

_Rebekah laughed. "I'm not threatening you, I'm warning you," she took a sigh and turned to fully face Klaus. "Niklaus, you could do much better than a silly high-school girl who's only interest is her boyfriend, her cheering and organizing parties. I bet she's probably slept with at least __half of the school-"_

_"That's enough, Rebekah."_

_"You're not sticking up for her?" Rebekah spat, her eyes wide._

_"Rebekah. You may be warning me, but now _I_ am warning _you_. Mind your tongue. Now, leave."_

_Rebekah huffed and turned, opening the door in a violent swing._

_"She'll break your heart, Nik. Just like Tatia did."_

_"You assume so much little sister, but I am not in love with your friend. I may fancy her, but there is nothing in her that will make me who I was with Tatia. Not again."_

_Rebekah slammed the door behind her as she stormed out of her brother's office. Klaus turned to his closed laptop, listening to the sound of the cooling fans whirl. He sped over to the desk and placed his tumbler beside the laptop, opening up the screen again._

_Klaus wriggled his fingers and stared at the blank page before he pressed the first keypad._

**xx xx xx**

"I'm profoundly and irreversibly screwed up," Caroline muttered, pushing the empty bottle over on her bed. Klaus was sat at the vanity desk now, smiling down at her.

"Yes," he responded. "Yes, you are quite screwed up, but it isn't always necessarily a bad thing, love."

Caroline snorted and threw her head back against her pillow before sitting up and crossing her legs. "Do you think there's a 'right' person out there for everyone?"

Klaus' smile dropped for a moment, a frown covering his features as he blinked in genuine thought. "No," he answered honestly. "I think some people were born to be alone because they were strong enough. I also think attraction is mistaken for 'rightness'."

Caroline sighed and fell back against her bed, staring up at her blank ceiling. "Did you know," she began, voice quiet, but loud enough for Klaus to hear. "There was a guy in Ancient Greece called Aristo-" Caroline paused for a moment, scrunching her nose up.

"Aristotle?" Klaus offered.

Caroline clicked her fingers and smiled, nodding into the bed, eyes still cast up at the ceiling as if she were picturing the story she was about to tell in her head and displaying it on the wall. Klaus found himself watching the same spot at certain points, when she'd smile as if the world had given her a wish.

"So he had some big old speech about people, like you and I, but in the case back then, he said that people were made up of man and woman, Sun, moon, sky, earth, and all that, but then these people weren't being good people so Zeus - the big God - he decided that he'd teach them a lesson, do you know what he did?"

Klaus smirked, of course he did. "No, but I have a strange feeling you may tell me."

Caroline ignored his sarcasm and carried on, waving her hand above her face. "He cut them in half, because one couldn't live without the other, and this Aristotle guy, he said that when they were cut in half they would run around like headless chickens and there arms would cross with everything just so they'd feel whole again. Sometimes they'd find another woman or another man and they'd try to be one but the other never quite fit, and he said that when one half died, the other never stopped trying to fit itself back together until it died itself." Caroline smiled. "You know whatelse? He said it wasn't just men and woman that were connected it was men and men and women and women, it was about finding love. It's still there in my mind: what if we were really split in half and fixed but we couldn't be whole until we found our other half, and we kept having to try all these people to see if they'd fit?"

Klaus watched Caroline's fingers play with the material of her sheets, he watched her throat as she talked and wondered how soft the skin felt. He smiled at her, although she could not see.

"Perhaps we are," he said, amusing her.

"When they find their other half they stick together forever and they never split again - ever. It's just it. They're one again, there's no reason to split because they know the pain of losing each other. It's kind of like marriage, just a little less gruesome."

Klaus chuckled quietly.

"So if they don't find their other half, their soul continues to look - because that's what they know. Their soul knows that they crave something but it's a bit like an oracle, it's a big riddle that you can only solve yourself if you try hard enough. You have to follow your instincts and your heart - otherwise you'll end up alone."

"I'm sure it was a bit simpler than that," Klaus interrupted.

Caroline shook her head, sitting up on her elbows. "It was ancient Greece, Klaus, they thought people got split in half, how are they going to simplify that? It makes sense though, doesn't it? Have you ever been in love and thought - something's missing? You just keep trying to find what it is and you look for every clue and you eventually solve your riddle. You are your own oracle. We used to be complete wholes, but then we weren't, and it's our pursuit of wholeness and happiness to find that one person and just _melt_ together as one. To spend so long looking and to find it and just _know_, because you fit."

"Caroline," Klaus sighed. "As much as your story telling is impeccable, what's the point of this?"

Caroline smiled.

"You said you didn't believe in someone being right for someone else. 'The One'."

"I said that, yes."

"So, I thought I'd see if I could change your mind."

"Sweetheart, you really thought an ancient Greek mythologist could change my mind with his story about cutting people in half and having them run around like headless chickens until they find one another?"

"Love is… um, love is the body of.. Something."

Klaus smirked. "Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies."

Caroline blinked and pushed herself off of her elbows, staring. "That's right," she mumbled, shell-shocked that he'd even been listening to her pointless rambles for God knows how long she'd just spoken for.

"Plato's Symposium, sweetheart."

Caroline shrugged and scoffed, leaning back down. "Smartass," she grumbled.

Klaus laughed and shook his head, taking another bottle of wine from the bag at his feet which Caroline had moved earlier. He popped open the lid of the wine and poured a fair amount in his glass and watched as Caroline picked hers up from the sheet, not even glancing his way, holding it out toward him. He filled it up and screwed the lid back on, placing it on the desk.

"Do you think Tyler has someone out there running around looking for him?"

"Hopefully they're flailing arms knock some sense into him when they find him."

Caroline couldn't help but smile. "I'm serious," she said softly, letting out a small sigh. "What if Tyler's got this amazing person but he just doesn't know yet because he hasn't had a chance to find her? What if he's got his other half somewhere and they're just waiting to see if they fit?"

"Then be happy for him, sweetheart."

Caroline nodded, sitting up to take a sip of her wine.

"I would be, but, what about me?"

"What about you?"

"Where's my other half? Where's my split soul?"

Klaus smiled. "Around."

**xx xx xx**

When Klaus finally admitted his feelings for Caroline it had been almost five months. Her bright personality never failed to amuse him, and he always found himself sitting by the bleachers of the high school, supposedly waiting for his younger sister, but never keeping his eyes off of Caroline.

He was five years her senior.

When everyone else found out about Klaus' feelings for Caroline it had been since the very beginning, they all duly noted the sly glances and the touches as he brushed past her, one hand on her hip or taking her hand to move her somewhere or to show her something - nothing he did went unnoticed, not even by Tyler. Tyler had never confronted the man about his infatuation with Caroline - because there was no solid threat, Caroline was not a cheat and Caroline was whole-heartedly in love with Tyler, everything she did was to impress him, and so he couldn't help but love her back, and just push Klaus' silly feelings aside.

Until they started getting closer.

Tyler wouldn't have minded if it were due to Klaus' sister - Rebekah. If they had grown a bond through Rebekah, it would have been totally normal, but Rebekah hated Caroline. Caroline was around Klaus more than she was any one of her other friends - other than Stefan or Elena - and Tyler could help but feel uneasy that she had made such a good friend out of Klaus, confiding in him, coming to him with _their_ relationship problems, and Tyler could always see that stupid smirk light up his face when Klaus would drop Caroline back at Tyler's house after their little argument.

But Tyler always won. He always had her back at the end of it all, always in his arms.

But now where was she?

She was with Klaus.

When Klaus had finally admitted his love for Caroline it had been four years ago when she had graduated high school and he had kissed her cheek and promised her anything in the world. She had smiled, taken his arm and walked back with him to the party, only to be taken back by Tyler.

Klaus watched her the entire night, he watched the way she laughed with everyone, he watched her smile and pose and make childish faces at numerous amounts of cameras (keeping to himself the one photo she snuck of herself kissing Klaus on the cheek in the hallway and snapping it on her camera - he kept that picture). He watched her Valedictorian speech. He watched it all, and toward the end of the night, he watched her say goodbye to her friends and finally come up to him, Tyler hanging back, glaring. She hugged him then, a huge hug with her arms around his shoulders and he slowly wrapped his around her waist, bringing her close to him.

He had breathed in then and smelt the most beautiful smell - Caroline - and when she pulled back, her big blue eyes shining at him, he knew he was in too deep. He knew he loved her.

**xx xx xx**

Caroline was finally alone, Klaus having left her with a spare bottle of wine and a few choice words that if she needs him she calls him straight away. Caroline had nodded and waved her hand toward him. "Go," she had encouraged him, a forced smile on her face. "I'll be fine."

But she hadn't been, and she wasn't.

Caroline found herself wandering around at twelve in the morning with only her clothes on her back and goose bumps on her arms to keep her company. She had walked outside of Tyler's house without really realising, she saw the bedroom that they had shared countless nights in together and saw that the light was on. She waited for a while to see if she would see him - to catch a glimpse - to make sure if he was okay.

When she finally thought to give up and leave him be, she saw him stand and walk over to the window, still dressed down to the nines in his tuxedo, his face red with rage and hurt, a phone pressed to his ear. Caroline assumed no one had picked up the phone because Tyler immediately turned and threw it, seeming to sink down the window and out of sight.

Tears welled up in Caroline's eyes, struck on by the guilt at the emotions she had led her ex-fiancé to and she could only hope there was someone else waiting for him.

**xx xx xx**

"_Caroline, it's me. I need to know why you did it. I need to know what I did wrong. Didn't I love you enough? Didn't I buy you enough? Is that what you want, because I'll give it to you? What do you want, Caroline? What can I do? When you know, call me._"

"_Caroline, it's me again. I know you're there, please pick up. I don't hate you. Call me._"

"_It was because of him wasn't it? Did you see him the night before? Did he tell you to run? We all know he's in love with you, Caroline, if you're too dense to see it then you should know now. He's always wanted you. He's always tried to rip you away from me, I was never good enough for you. Tell me, Caroline. I deserve to know. Was it him? Was I not good enough for you?_"

"_I hope you're happy together, Caroline._"

Caroline's fingers shook as she repeated the voicemails left on her answering machine by Tyler. She shook her head and deleted all but one.

Who was Tyler referring to? Who was she supposed to have seen the night before her wedding? Who was Tyler comparing himself to and why? Caroline pressed the palm of her hand into her forehead and closed her eyes in deep thought. No names came to her.

She took her phone out of her pocket.

_When you're free, please come over. I need you._

* * *

**NEXT CHAPTER: Tyler confronts Caroline, Elena comforts Caroline and Caroline finally finds out the truth behind her best friend's feelings..**

I'm not too happy with this chapter, what do you think? Anything I can do? I re-read this so many times and keep finding mistakes. In need of a beta, I think.

**Requests are now open, message me or ask me on tumblr (vampirebarbieex) if you have something you want me to write.**

**Thanks for the support, favs, follows and reviews, keep them coming, they're inspiring. 'Pretty Woman' will be updated soon. Bare with.**


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